Method and apparatus for printing accessed data over a network using a virtual machine applet

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for printing accessed data over a network using a virtual machine applet accessed by a printer. To-be-printed data accessed through a network or setup command data for setting up a printer environment received from a user is transformed into to-be-printed extensible markup language (XML) data or setup command XML data, respectively. The to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data is transmitted to the printer. The to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data is interpreted via the virtual machine applet to execute printing or to set up the printer. Accordingly, data written in various kinds of languages on the Internet can be transmitted to and printed by a printer without installing a printer driver in a computer or a mobile communication apparatus like a PDA. Also, a desired printer setup by a user can be achieved without a printer driver.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No.2002-34133, filed Jun. 18, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entiretyby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of printing data on a networkusing a printer connected to a computer, and more particularly, to amethod of and an apparatus printing accessed data over a network using avirtual machine applet.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the related art, to print data from the Internet, a computer directlyaccesses data from a web server (not shown), creates printer data usingan application program and a printer driver, and transfers the printerdata to a printer. Recently, since mobile devices, such as a PDA or anInternet phone, are becoming widespread, printing through these devicesis on demand. In order to print data from the Internet, a mobile devicebrings data from a web server through the wireless Internet, makesprinter data using an application program and a printer driver, whichare built in the mobile device, and transmits the printer data to aprinter. The printer data sent to the printer is analyzed and dividedinto data to be printed and data not to be printed. Printing is executedon the data to be printed. When a printer setup value is input through aprinter driver, the printer setup value is also transmitted to a printeras the printer data, and the printer is then set.

However, when computers or mobile devices having a small capacity ofmemory must output a particular form of work-related document, thediversity of document types makes it difficult to output a document to aprinter through a printer driver in real time because of the greatlimitations in capacity, program installation, and the like. Further,since present computers or mobile devices have different printer driverssuitable for different operating systems (OS) used by the computers orthe mobile devices, printer drivers corresponding to all types ofcomputers or mobile devices must be developed, thereby creating amanufacturing inefficiency. Further, since the output operation of amobile device in an enterprise-type solution must support various kindsof OSs and application programs, mobile devices having a small capacityof memory and a low-speed CPU cannot rapidly process/support high volumedatabases and printing information therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of printing accessed data over anetwork using a printer virtual machine applet, in which the printerinterprets extensible markup language (XML) data by using the virtualmachine applet, so that data written in various languages on theInternet can be printed without the need to install a printer driver ina computer or mobile communication devices, such as a PDA.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus/a systemprints accessed data over a network using a printer virtual machineapplet.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious fromthe description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod of printing accessed data over a network using a virtual machineapplet in a printer connected to a computer. In this method, first,to-be-printed data accessed through the network or setup command datafor setting up a printer environment received from a user is transformedinto to be-printed XML data or setup command XML data, respectively. Theto-be-printed XML data and the setup command XML data are written in anextensible markup language (XML). Thereafter, the to-be-printed XML dataor the setup command XML data is transmitted to the printer. Next, theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data is interpreted bythe printer to execute printing or to set up the printer, respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan apparatus/a system printing accessed data over a network using avirtual machine applet in a printer connected to a computer. In thisapparatus, a printer setup interface receives a setup command forsetting up a printer environment from a user and outputs setup commanddata. An XML data transformation/transmission unit transformsto-be-printed data accessed through the network or setup command datareceived from the user into to-be-printed XML data or setup command XMLdata, respectively, and transmits the to-be-printed XML data or thesetup command XML data to the printer. In the printer, an XML dataprocessor interprets the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XMLdata to execute printing or to set up the printer, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and more readily appreciated from the following description ofthe embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of printing accessed data over a network using avirtual machine applet, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operation 12 of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of storing an XML virtual machine applet in aprinter, according to embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of operation 52 of FIG. 3, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of operation 38 of FIG. 2, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a system printing accessed data over anetwork using a printer virtual machine applet by implementing theprocess of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the XML data processor of FIG. 6, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the printer operation executing unit ofFIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the presentinvention by referring to the figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, a method of printing accessed data over a networkusing XML data and a virtual machine applet, according to an embodimentof the present invention, comprises, at operation 10, transmittingextensible markup language (XML) data (XML documents) to a printer, and,at operation 12 interpreting the XML data via a virtual machine appletto execute printing or to set up a printer environment.

To be more specific, at operation 10, to-be-printed data accessedthrough a network or setup command data for setting the printerenvironment received from a user, is transformed into to-be-printed XMLdata or setup command XML data, respectively. Subsequently, at operation10, the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data istransmitted to a printer. A user can access data to be printed byconnecting to a web server (not shown) through a computer or a PDA. Suchto-be-printed data can be written in various languages or variousformats.

More particularly, at operation 10, the to-be-printed data istransformed into to-be-printed XML data, which is a communication markuplanguage used on the Internet. XML data is excellent in Internet homepage building and performing searches, and facilitates complicated dataprocessing conducted in a client system. For example, with XML data,Internet users can easily write and manage content to be added toInternet web pages. Also, users can manipulate structured databaseswritten in XML, as desired. Meanwhile, at operation 10, when a userinputs setup command data to establish a desired printer environment,the input setup command data is transformed into setup command XML data.Therefore, at operation 10, the to-be-printed XML data or the setupcommand XML data is transmitted to a printer, for example, via a datatransmission interface (not shown). Typically, the transmission ofto-be-printed XML data (XML documents) reduces a data transmissionburden compared to transmission of to-be-printed data produced by aprinter driver. At operation 12, the to-be-printed XML data or the setupcommand XML data transmitted to a printer is interpreted in the printervia a virtual machine applet to execute printing or to set up a desiredprinter environment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operation 12 of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment 12A of the present invention. The received XML data (XMLprinter data) interpreting process 10 at the printer, comprisesoperations 30 through 38 of producing to-be-printed printer data orsetup command printer data from the received to-be-printed XML data orsetup command XML data and executing printing or setting up a printerenvironment according to the produced printer data.

First, at operation 30, it is determined whether received data is XMLdata. The received data may be either XML data or printer data. If, atoperation 30, it is determined that the received data is not XML data,at operations 36 and 38, printing or setting up a printer environmentoperation is executed, according to the received to-be-printed printerdata or setup command printer data. On the other hand, if, at operation30, it is determined that the received data is XML data, at operation32, another determination is made as to whether the to-be-printed XMLdata or the setup command XML data exist. If, at operation 32, it isdetermined that the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML datadoes not exist, operation 32 is repeated (i.e., if, at operation 32,to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data does not exist, theprinter continues to check for receipt of XML printer data).

However, if, at operation 32, it is determined that to-be-printed XMLdata or setup command XML data exists, at operation 34, to-be-printedprinter data or setup command printer data is produced from theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data, respectively,using a virtual machine applet interpreting the received XML data.Typically, a virtual machine is installed on various client platforms ina client-server network architecture, such as the Internet, in executingoperating systems (e.g., Window 95/98/NT, Unix, or Macintosh) or webbrowsers (e.g., Internet explorer or Netscape) of the client platforms,and the virtual machine provides a foundation to execute a virtualmachine applet transmitted to the client.

In particular, typically, at operations 12 and 34, the virtual machineapplet of the present invention is an XML virtual machine applet thatinterprets XML data received from a computer or a PDA into appropriatedata for executing a printer operation. Accordingly, at operation 34,the XML virtual machine applet interprets received to-be-printed XMLdata, so that data allowing a printer to execute printing, that is,to-be-printed printer data, is produced from the received to-be-printedXML data. In particular, since typically the XML virtual machine appletcan have a template of to-be-printed printer data, to-be-printed printerdata can be produced by locating received to-be-printed XML data in thetemplate of the to-be-printed printer data. The XML virtual machineapplet also interprets received setup command XML data, so that datathat allows a printer to be set up, that is, setup command printer data,is produced from the received setup command XML data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of storing an XML virtual machine applet in aprinter, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thegeneration and storage of a printer XML virtual machine applet, which isused at operation 12 of FIG. 1 comprises operations 50 and 52 oftransforming a virtual machine applet into an XML virtual machineapplet, transmitting the XML virtual machine applet to a printer, andstoring the XML virtual machine applet in a printer.

More particularly, typically, at operation 50, a virtual machine appletaccessed via a network is first transformed into an XML virtual machineapplet, and the transformed XML virtual machine applet is transmitted tothe printer. The virtual machine applet, which can be written in variouskinds of languages, is transformed into an XML virtual machine appletwritten in XML, which is a communication language used on the Internet.The XML virtual machine applet is transmitted to the printer via a datatransmission interface. At operation 52, the XML virtual machine applettransmitted to the printer is stored in the printer. According to anaspect of the present invention, the XML virtual machine applet may bepre-stored in a printer. According to another aspect of the presentinvention, operation 52 may be performed at operation 34 to store areceived XML virtual machine applet, as part of preparing a printer toprint XML printer data. According to an aspect of the present invention,at operation 50, the XML virtual machine applet may be first accessedfrom a network and transmitted to a printer, and then, at operation 52,stored in the printer.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of operation 52 of FIG. 3 according to anembodiment 52A of the present invention. Storage of the XML virtualmachine applet in the printer comprises operations 70 through 74 ofdetermining whether received data is an XML virtual machine applet andstoring the XML virtual machine applet. In particular, at operation 70,it is determined whether received data is XML data. If, at operation 70,it is determined that the received data is not XML data, operation 70 isrepeated (i.e., no further action is performed until further datareceipt). However, if, at operation 70, it is determined that thereceived data is XML data, at operation 72, another determination ismade as to whether the received data is an XML virtual machine applet,in step 72. If, at operation 72, it is determined that the received datais not an XML virtual machine applet, operation 72 is repeated (i.e.,the printer continues to check for receipt of XML virtual machine appletdata). However, if, at operation 72, it is determined that the receiveddata is an XML virtual machine applet, at operation 74, the XML virtualmachine applet is stored.

Referring back to FIG. 2, after operation 34, or if, at operation 30, itis determined that the received data is not XML data, at operation 36,the produced to-be-printed printer data is separated from setup commandprinter data. According to an aspect of the present invention, theto-be-printed printer data and the setup command printer data may beindependently produced from the to-be-printed XML data and the setupcommand XML data, respectively. However, since they may also be producedat the same time, the produced to-be-printed printer data must bedistinguished from the produced setup command printer data to eitherexecute printing or to set up the printer. At operation 38, the producedto-be-printed printer data or the produced setup command printer data isused to execute printing or to set up the printer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of operation 38 of FIG. 2, according to anembodiment 38A of the present invention. The printing or setting up theprinter, using the produced printer data from operation 36, comprisesoperations 90 through 96. At operation 90, it is first determinedwhether setup command printer data exists. If, at operation 90, it isdetermined that setup command printer data does not exist, at operation94, it is determined whether to-be-printed printer data exists. However,if, at operation 90, it is determined that setup command printer dataexists, at operation 92, the printer is set up.

After operation 92, or if, at operation 90, it is determined that nosetup command printer data exists, at operation 94, it is determinedwhether to-be-printed printer data exists. If, at operation 94, it isdetermined that no to-be-printed printer data exists, the method isconcluded. However, if, at operation 94, it is determined thatto-be-printed printer data exists, at operation 96, printing isexecuted.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus/system printing accessed dataover a network using a printer virtual machine applet, according to anembodiment of the present invention. The apparatus of FIG. 6performs/implements the printing method of FIG. 1 and comprises aprinter setup interface 100, an XML data transformation/transmissionunit 120, and an XML data processor 140. The printer setup interface 100performs operation 10 by receiving, for example, a setup command forsetting up a printer environment from a user and outputting a result. Ifa setup command is received via an input port IN1, setup command data istransmitted to the XML data transformation/transmission unit 120. In thepresent invention, since a printer driver is not installed in a computeror a mobile communication device like a PDA, a user needs an extrainterface to set up an environment for a printer, such as the printingsize, the number of printing paper sheets, or the like. Accordingly, inthe present invention, a user can input a setup command for a desiredprinter environment via the printer setup interface 100, and then setupcommand data is transmitted to the XML data transformation/transmissionunit 120.

Subsequently, to further perform operation 10, the XML datatransformation/transmission unit 120 transforms to-be-printed dataaccessed via a network or the setup command data received from the user,into to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data, respectively, andtransmits the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data to aprinter. For example, to-be-printed data accessed through an input portIN2 or the setup command data received from the printer setup interface100 is transformed into to-be-printed XML data or setup command XMLdata, respectively, in the XML data transformation/transmission unit120, and the to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data istransmitted to the XML data processor 140. Meanwhile, to performoperation 50, typically, the XML data transformation/transmission unit120 transforms a virtual machine applet accessed via a network into anXML virtual machine applet and transmits the XML virtual machine appletto a printer.

In FIG. 6, the XML data processor 140 performs operation 12 byinterpreting the to be-printed XML data or the setup command XML datatransmitted to the printer to execute printing or to set up the printer.For example, the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML datareceived from the XML data transformation/transmission unit 120 isanalyzed, and, consequently, a signal for printing or a signal forprinter setup is output to an output port OUT1. Meanwhile, to performoperation 52, the XML data processor 140 stores an XML virtual machineapplet, which is received from the XML data processor 140, in theprinter. In FIG. 6, processes of the present invention as embodied inthe printer setup interface 100, the XML datatransformation/transmission unit 120, and the XML data processor 140 areimplemented in computing hardware and/or software in a computing device,such as a computer, PDA, etc., with printing functions (i.e., the XMLdata processor 140 is integrated with a computing device). According toan aspect of the present invention, the XML data processor 140 may beimplemented separately in a printer that is in communication with acomputing device, the computing device comprising the printer setupinterface 100 and the XML data transformation/transmission unit 120 tocommunicate with the printer.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the XML data processor 140 of FIG. 6,according to an embodiment 140A of the present invention. The embodiment140A comprises an input data analyzer 200, an XML data analyzer 210, avirtual machine applet operator 220, a virtual machine applet storageunit 230, an execution data producer 240, and a printer operationexecuting unit 250.

The input data analyzer 200 performs operation 30 by analyzing receiveddata to determine whether the received data is XML data, to-be-printedprinter data, or setup command printer data and outputs the result ofthe analysis as a first signal. The input data analyzer 200 may receiveXML data, to-be-printed printer data, or setup command printer data froma computer or a PDA. Alternatively, the input data analyzer 200 mayreceive to-be-printed printer data or setup command printer data fromthe execution data producer 240. If the input data analyzer 200determines that the data received via an input port IN3 or data receivedfrom the execution data producer 240 is to-be-printed printer data orsetup command printer data, respectively, the to-be-printed printer dataor the setup command printer data is transmitted to the printeroperation execution unit 250. On the other hand, if the input dataanalyzer 200 determines that the received data is XML data, the XML datais transmitted to the XML data analyzer 210.

The XML data analyzer 210 performs operation 32 by determining whetherthe XML data is to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data inresponse to the first signal of the input data analyzer 200 indicatingreceipt of XML data and outputs the result of the analysis as a secondsignal. The XML data analyzer 210 also determines whether the XML datais an XML virtual machine applet. If the data received from the inputdata analyzer 200 is to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data,the to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data is transmitted tothe execution data producer 240. On the other hand, if the data receivedfrom the input data analyzer 200 is an XML virtual machine applet, theXML virtual machine applet is transmitted to the virtual machine appletoperator 220.

Typically, the virtual machine applet operator 220, the virtual machineapplet storage unit 230, and the execution data producer 240 performoperations 34 and 52. In response to the second signal of the XML dataanalyzer 210, the virtual machine applet operator 220 either stores orfetches an XML virtual machine applet for interpreting the XML data.

When the received XML data is not an XML virtual machine applet, the XMLdata as the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data istransmitted to the execution data producer 240 and the virtual machineapplet operator 220 fetches an XML virtual machine applet stored in thevirtual machine applet storage unit 230 and transmits the same to theexecution data producer 240. The execution data producer 240 receives anXML virtual machine applet from the virtual machine applet operator 220in response to the second signal of the XML data analyzer 210, producesto-be-printed printer data or setup command printer data from theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data, respectively,received from the XML data analyzer 210, and outputs the to-be-printedprinter data or the setup command printer data. To be more specific, theexecution data producer 240 produces the to-be-printed printer data fromthe to-be-printed XML data using the received XML virtual machine appletfor interpreting XML data. In particular, since the XML virtual machineapplet has a template of the to-be-printed printer data, theto-be-printed printer data can be produced by locating the receivedto-be-printed XML data in the template of the to-be-printed printerdata. The execution data producer 240 also produces the setup commandprinter data from the setup command XML data using the received XMLvirtual machine applet for interpreting XML data. The execution dataproducer 240 outputs the produced to-be-printed printer data or thesetup command printer data to the input data analyzer 200.

When the received XML data is an XML virtual machine applet, the XMLdata as the XML virtual machine applet is transmitted to the virtualmachine applet operator 220, which stores the received XML virtualmachine applet in the virtual machine applet storage unit 230. Moreparticularly, the input data analyzer 200 performs operation 70 byanalyzing whether the received data is XML data and outputs the analysisresult as a third signal. The XML data analyzer 210 performs operation72 by analyzing whether the XML data is an XML virtual machine applet inresponse to the third signal transmitted by the input data analyzer 200and outputs the analysis result as a fourth signal. The virtual machineapplet operator 220 performs operations 74 and 52 by storing the XMLvirtual machine applet in the virtual machine applet storage unit 230 inresponse to the fourth signal received from the XML data analyzer 210.

The printer operation executing unit 250 performs operation 38 byexecuting printing or setting up a printer using the to-be-printedprinter data or setup command printer data analyzed and transmitted bythe input data analyzer 200. For example, a result regarding theprinting execution or printer setup obtained using the to-be-printedprinter data or the setup command printer data transmitted by the inputdata analyzer 200 is output to an output port OUT2.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the printer operation execution unit 250 ofFIG. 7, according to an embodiment 250A of the present invention. Theembodiment 250A comprises a printer data detecting unit 300, a printersetting unit 310, and a printing executing unit 320. The printer datadetecting unit 300 performs operations 90 and 94 by detecting if thedata received from the input data analyzer 200 at an input port IN4 isto-be-printed printer data or setup command printer data, and outputs adetection result.

If the to-be-printed printer data or the setup command printer data isinput via the input port IN4, the printer data detecting unit 300detects the input data and transmits a detection result according to thetype of printer data (i.e., to-be-printed data or setup command data) tothe printer setting unit 310 or the printing executing unit 320 (as thecase may be). In case setup command printer data is input at IN4, theprinter data detecting unit 300 outputs a setting detection result tothe printer setting unit 310 and the printer data detecting unit 300receives a setting result from the printer setting unit 310. In responseto the setting result received from the printer setting unit 310, theprinter data detecting unit 300 detects whether a setup command printerdata has been applied and based upon the setting result outputs aprinting detection result to the printing executing unit 320.

The printer setting unit 310 performs operation 92 by setting up aprinter according to the setup command printer data in response to thesetting detection result of the printer data detecting unit 300. Inparticular, in response to the setting detection result from the printerdata detecting unit 300, the printer is setup and a printer setup resultis output to the output port OUT3 and transmitted to the printer datadetecting unit 300.

The printing executing unit 320 performs operation 96 by printing theto-be-printed printer data in response to the printing detection resultof the printer data detecting unit 300. In particular, in response tothe printing detection result from the printer data detecting unit 300,a printing execution result is output to the output port OUT4.

As described above, in a method and apparatus of the present inventionfor printing accessed data over a network using a virtual machineapplet, data written in various kinds of languages on the Internet canbe transmitted to a printer of a computing device and printed by theprinter without installing a printer driver in the computing device,such as a computer or a mobile communication apparatus, like a PDA.Also, a desired printer setup by a user can be achieved without aprinter driver. In other words, the XML data containing to-be-printeddata accessed from the Internet (or a network) can describe/defineinformation to control and feed to be-printed data to a printing unit,thereby having a benefit of obviating installation of a printer driverprogram. Accordingly, the present invention provides a printing systemthat receives accessed Internet data written in any language anddirectly controls a printing unit according to the received data toprint the received data. More particularly, the present inventionprovides a computer system printing accessed data over a network using avirtual machine applet accessed by a printer. For example, the presentinvention can be implemented as a printer printing received data usingan XML virtual machine applet. The processes of the present invention asembodied in a computing device and a printer that is in communicationwith the computing device can be implemented in computing hardwareand/or software.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A method of printing accessed data over a network using a virtualmachine applet in a printer connected to a computer, the methodcomprising: transforming to-be-printed data accessed through the networkor setup command data for setting up a printer environment received froma user into to-be-printed extension extensible mark-up language (XML)data or setup command XML data, respectively, and transmitting theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data to the printer; andinterpreting the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML datavia a virtual machine applet to execute printing or to set up theprinter, respectively, wherein the interpreting of the XML datacomprises: determining whether received data is XML data; determiningwhether the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data exists,if determined that the received data is the XML data; producingto-be-printed printer data or setup command printer data from theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data, respectively,using as the virtual machine applet an XML virtual machine appletinterpreting XML data, if determined that the to-be-printed XML data orthe setup command XML data exists; distinguishing the producedto-be-printed printer data from the produced setup command printer data;and executing printing or setting up the printer with the printer data.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the XML virtual machine applet storesa template of the to-be-printed printer data as data, and the producingof the to-be-printed printer data further comprises locating theto-be-printed XML data in the template of the to-be-printed printerdata.
 3. A method of printing accessed data over a network using avirtual machine applet in a printer connected to a computer, the methodcomprising: transforming to-be-printed data accessed through the networkor setup command data for setting up a printer environment received froma user into to-be-printed extension mark-up language (XML) data or setupcommand XML data, respectively, and transmitting the to-be-printed XMLdata or the setup command XML data to the printer; interpreting theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data via a virtualmachine applet to execute printing or to set up the printer,respectively; and transforming a virtual machine applet accessed over anetwork into an XML virtual machine applet and allowing access to theXML virtual machine applet by the printer, wherein the accessed XMLvirtual machine applet interprets the transmitted XML data, wherein theinterpreting of the XML data comprises: determining whether receiveddata is XML data; determining whether the to-be-printed XML data or thesetup command XML data exists, if determined that the received data isthe XML data; producing to-be-printed printer data or setup commandprinter data from the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XMLdata, respectively, using as the virtual machine applet an XML virtualmachine applet interpreting XML data, if determined that theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data exists;distinguishing the produced to-be-printed printer data from the producedsetup command printer data; and executing printing or setting up theprinter with the printer data.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: transforming the virtual machine applet accessed through anetwork into an XML virtual machine applet; transmitting the XML virtualmachine applet to the printer; and storing the XML virtual machineapplet in the printer.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the storing ofthe XML virtual machine applet comprises: determining whether thereceived data is XML data; determining whether received XML data is theXML virtual machine applet, if determined that the received data is theXML data; and storing the XML virtual machine applet, if determined thatthe received data is the XML virtual machine applet.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein receipt of the printer data comprises: determiningwhether the setup command printer data exists; setting up the printer ifdetermined that the setup command printer data exists; determiningwhether the to-be-printed printer data exists; and executing printing ifdetermined that the to-be-printed printer data exists.
 7. An apparatusprinting accessed data over a network using a virtual machine applet ina printer connected to a computer, the apparatus comprising: a printersetup interface receiving a setup command for setting up a printerenvironment from a user and outputting setup command data; an XML datatransformation/transmission unit transforming to-be-printed dataaccessed through the network or the setup command data received from theuser into to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML data,respectively, and transmitting the to-be-printed XML data or the setupcommand XML data to the printer; and an XML data processor interpretingthe to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data via a virtualmachine applet to execute printing or to set up the printer, wherein theXML data processor comprises: an input data analyzer determining whetherreceived data is XML data, the to-be-printed printer data or the setupcommand printer data and outputting a first signal result; an XML dataanalyzer determining whether the XML data is the to-be-printed XML dataor the setup command XML data in response to the first signal result andoutputting a second signal result; a virtual machine applet storage unitstoring as the virtual machine applet an XML virtual machine appletinterpreting XML data; a virtual machine applet operator storing orfetching the XML virtual machine applet in response to the second signalresult; an execution data producer receiving the XML virtual machineapplet from the virtual machine applet operator, producing to-be-printedprinter data or setup command printer data from the to-be-printed XMLdata or the setup command XML data, respectively, using the received XMLvirtual machine applet, and outputting the to-be-printed printer data orthe setup command printer data to the input data analyzer; and a printeroperation executing unit executing printing or setting up the printerusing the produced to-be-printed printer data or the produced setupcommand printer data.
 8. An apparatus printing accessed data over anetwork using a virtual machine applet in a printer connected to acomputer, the apparatus comprising: a printer setup interface receivinga setup command for setting up a printer environment from a user andoutputting setup command data; an XML data transformation/transmissionunit transforming to-be-printed data accessed through the network or thesetup command data received from the user into to-be-printed XML data orsetup command XML data, respectively, and transmitting the to-be-printedXML data or the setup command XML data to the printer; and an XML dataprocessor interpreting the to-be-printed XML data or the setup commandXML data via a virtual machine applet to execute printing or to set upthe printer, wherein the XML data processor comprises: an input dataanalyzer determining whether received data is XML data, theto-be-printed printer data or the setup command printer data andoutputting a first signal result; an XML data analyzer determiningwhether the XML data is the to-be-printed XML data or the setup commandXML data in response to the first signal result and outputting a secondsignal result; a virtual machine applet storage unit storing as thevirtual machine applet an XML virtual machine applet interpreting XMLdata; a virtual machine applet operator storing or fetching the XMLvirtual machine applet in response to the second signal result; anexecution data producer receiving the XML virtual machine applet fromthe virtual machine applet operator, producing to-be-printed printerdata or setup command printer data from the to-be-printed XML data orthe setup command XML data, respectively, using the received XML virtualmachine applet, and outputting the to-be-printed printer data or thesetup command printer data to the input data analyzer; and a printeroperation executing unit executing printing or setting up the printerusing the produced to-be-printed printer data or the produced setupcommand printer data, wherein the XML data transformation/transmissionunit transforms a virtual machine applet accessed through a network intoan XML virtual machine applet and transmits the XML virtual machineapplet to the virtual machine applet storage unit, and wherein the XMLdata processor interprets the transmitted XML data using the XML virtualmachine applet.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input dataanalyzer determines whether the received data is XML data and outputs athird signal result; the XML data analyzer determines whether thereceived data is the XML virtual machine applet in response to the thirdsignal result and outputs a fourth signal result; and the virtualmachine applet operator stores the XML virtual machine applet in thevirtual machine applet storage unit in response to the fourth signalresult.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the XML virtual machineapplet comprises a template of the to-be-printed printer data, and theexecution data producer produces the to-be-printed printer data bylocating the received to-be-printed XML data in the template of theto-be-printed printer data.
 11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein theprinter operation executing unit comprises: a printer data detectingunit detecting whether data received from the input data analyzer is theto-be-printed printer data or the setup command printer data andoutputting a detection result; a printer setting unit setting up theprinter according to the setup command printer data in response to thedetection result; and a printing executing unit printing theto-be-printed printer data in response to the detection result.
 12. Amethod of printing accessed data over a network using an applet in aprinter, the method comprising: transforming to-be-printed data accessedthrough the network or setup command data for setting up a printerenvironment received from a user into to-be-printed extensible mark-uplanguage (XML) data or setup command XML data, respectively, andtransmitting the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data tothe printer; accessing data over the network using the applet in theprinter; determining if the accessed data includes to-be-printed XMLdata or setup command XML data; interpreting the to-be-printed XML dataor the setup command XML data to execute printing or to set up theprinter, respectively, wherein the interpreting of the XML datacomprises: determining whether accessed data is XML data; determiningwhether the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data exists,if it is determined that the accessed data is the XML data; producingto-be-printed printer data or setup command printer data from theto-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data, respectively, byinterpreting XML data, if it is determined that the to-be-printed XMLdata or the setup command XML data exists; and executing printing orsetting up the printer with the printer data.
 13. The method of claim12, further comprising: determining if the accessed data includes anapplet; and storing the applet in a storage unit if the accessed dataincludes an applet.
 14. A printing apparatus to print data accessed overa network using an applet, the printing apparatus comprising: a printerinterface to access to-be-printed XML data or setup command XML dataover the network using the applet; and an XML data processor tointerpret the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML dataaccessed over the network using the applet, wherein the XML dataprocessor comprises: an input data analyzer to determine whetheraccessed data is XML data; an XML data analyzer to determine whether theXML data is the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XML data, ifit is determined that the accessed data is the XML data; an executiondata producer to produce to-be-printed printer data or setup commandprinter data from the to-be-printed XML data or the setup command XMLdata, respectively, by interpreting the XML data, and outputting theto-be-printed printer data or the setup command printer data; and aprinter operation executing unit to execute printing or setting up theprinting apparatus using the produced to-be-printed printer data or theproduced setup command printer data.